DE3713699A1 - Body-side bearing of a spring strut or spring damper of a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a body-side bearing of a spring strut or spring damper of a motor vehicle with a rubber-metal bearing, prefitted on the damper-piston rod and acting between body and spring strut, and, inter alia, an upper strut stop canister, likewise connected to the damper-piston rod, by which canister the rubber-metal bearing is radially partially covered at an axial distance. In order to permit automated assembly of the spring strut, to be inserted from below, on the body, even without access to the spring strut from above, the upper strut stop canister is prefitted on the damper piston-rod and introduced into the bearing mount from below together with the rubber-metal bearing, the outside diameter of the upper strut stop canister being dimensioned at least slightly smaller than the diameter of that area of the bearing mount in contact with the smallest outside diameter of the rubber-metal bearing; at the same time, the rubber-metal bearing is held in the bearing mount in the rebound direction by a retainer device in the form of a retaining ring or spring ring or in the form of flexible tongues, which can be automatically or manually pressed over when the rubber-metal bearing is introduced into the bearing mount. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a body-side storage of a Strut or spring damper of a motor vehicle in the preamble of claim 1 mentioned type, such as from the DE-PS 30 41 985 is known.

This known strut mounting is designed so that while maintaining the advantageous suspension inherent in a full-fledged rubber push element and damping properties an automated assembly of the shock absorber / spring damper or an axle completed with the shock absorber / spring damper is made possible. The one that tapers upwards in a wedge shape or conically Tin outer pot of the rubber-metal bearing is in this known shock absorber storage during assembly from below in a molded in the body and bearing receptacle matched to the dimensions of the sheet metal outer pot the body inserted and in this in the direction of compression and vertically added positively. The sheet metal is in the rebound direction Pot held in the storage area only by friction.

In this known arrangement, the strut / spring damper - in generally as part of a pre-assembled axle assembly - in the vehicle assembly either by hand or automatically from below into the assigned Bearing of the suspended vehicle body introduced. Immediately after inserting the shock absorber into the body in the usual way to secure the through the open to the top camp Recording penetrating end of the damper piston rod from above screwed on top stop and catch pot, which ensures  that the struts inserted into the body or the pre-assembled Axis unit under no circumstances down from the still hanging Vehicle body can slide out. In the lowered state or during normal color operation, only the stop function is left this stop and catch pot of importance through which the rebound path the rubber-metal bearing is limited.

In another known one suitable for automated assembly Upper shock absorber bearing (DE-OS 33 02 057) carries the damper piston rod no rubber-metal bearing that is essentially only subjected to thrust with one sticking between an inner tin pot and an outer tin pot vulcanized rubber element, but two separate rubber elastic body, one of which is from above in an upper and the other from the bottom in a lower bearing pan one in the body arranged tapered bearing supports. The rubber elastic Bodies are formed in this way and on the damper piston rod - In their end area - stored that the pre-assembled on the piston rod upper rubber-elastic body during assembly together with the damper col rod from below through the constriction of the double-tapered bearing can be buttoned into the upper bearing pan. First when the vehicle has finished hanging on the road is lowered, an upper catch designed as a lock washer The pot is screwed onto the upper end of the piston rod as usual.

By dimensioning the upper of the two rubber-elastic bodies in this way and must be arranged so that it can be mounted in the double from below tapered body bearing mount can be buttoned up constructively, of course, there are also certain limitations in the design options of the rubber-elastic bearing body.

The invention has for its object a body side Storage of the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1 to improve and simplify and in particular to train so that an automated assembly of the shock absorber / shock absorber or with the suspension strut / spring damper completed vehicle axle while maintaining tion of the favorable suspension and damping properties of a substantially rubber-metal bearing that is only subjected to thrust even with restricted  or even completely lacking accessibility of the shock absorber from above becomes.

This object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1 solved.

Advantageous refinements and developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

According to the body-side storage is designed such that not only the rubber-metal bearing and the lower stop pot, but also the upper stop and catch pot firmly on the upper end of the damper pistons rod is pre-assembled and thus together with the rubber-metal bearing is inserted from below into the bearing holder, the outer diameter the upper stop and catch pot at least somewhat smaller is the diameter of the one with the smallest outside diameter of the rubber Metal bearing in contact area of the bearing housing; the Rubber-metal bearing is in the bearing in the rebound direction by a locking device in the form of spring tongues or a resilient Circlip held, which when inserting the rubber-metal bearing can be overridden automatically or manually in the bearing holder.

Because a subsequent screw connection or similar locking or securing of the shock absorber or spring damper inserted into the bearing mount is not necessary as this is held securely in the storage area is, it is also not necessary that the strut mounting of is accessible above. The suspension strut mounting according to the invention can therefore in particular also in cases where the for the installation of the struts above the space usually required the shock absorber bearing mount is installed and is therefore not accessible.

Using some of the embodiments shown in the drawing the invention is explained in more detail below.

In the partly schematic drawing show in partly cut presentation  

Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the body side mounting of a shock absorber according to the invention,

Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of this strut storage,

Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b details of this strut mounting and

Fig. 3 shows a third embodiment of the spring leg support according to the invention.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show the hinged articulated to the only indicated body 1 of a motor vehicle upper end of a usual spring leg 2, which is 4, and a concentrically surrounding the Fahrzeugabfederung serving coil spring 3 made of a telescopic shock absorber.

The helical spring is supported with its lower end on a lower spring plate 3.2 fastened to the damper tube (not further designated) and with its upper end on an upper spring plate 3.1 fastened at the end of the damper piston rod 4.1 .

In addition to the upper spring plate 3.1 , an essentially purely shear-loaded rubber-metal bearing 6 is fastened to the free end of the damper piston rod 4.1 with the interposition of a slide bearing 5 , which in a known manner consists of an approximately cylindrical inner sheet metal pot 6.1 and an outer sheet metal pot 6.2 . between which an approximately ring-shaped rubber element 6.3 is adhesively vulcanized. The lower end of the sheet metal outer pot 6.2 is angled radially outward like a shoulder or flange. The angled shoulder is numbered 6.4 . The sheet metal outer pot 6.2 in turn has an upwardly tapering conical shape, and in the exemplary embodiments shown it is coated on the outside with a thin rubber skin 6.5 .

Together with the slide bearing 5 and the rubber-metal bearing 6 , a lower stop pot 8.1 and an upper stop and catch pot 8.2 are attached to the damper piston rod 4.1 . The outer diameter of the upper stop and catch pot 8.2 is dimensioned at least somewhat smaller than the smallest outer diameter of the rubber-metal bearing 6 .

To accommodate the rubber-metal bearing 6 , a bearing holder 7 is arranged in the body 1 , the shape and dimension of which is matched to the outer shape and dimension of the outer sheet metal pot 6.2 . In the exemplary embodiments, it is thus also rotationally symmetrical and has an upwardly tapered shape, so that when the rubber-metal bearing is inserted between the bearing receptacle 7 and the outer sheet metal pot 6.2 , there is a positive fit in the direction of deflection and perpendicular to it.

To assemble the shock absorber or the spring damper 2 , the rubber-metal bearing 6 with the interposition of the slide bearing 5 and together with the lower and the upper stop and catch pot 8.1 or 8.2 on the free end of the damper piston rod 4.1 by means of a nut 11 preassembled and the complete shock absorber or the complete spring damper inserted from below into the bearing receptacle 7 until there is a positive connection between the outer sheet metal pot 6.2 and the bearing receptacle 7 .

In order to keep the rubber-metal bearing 6 - and thus the complete suspension strut 2 - in the bearing receptacle 7 in the rebound direction, the outwardly angled shoulder 6.4 of the rubber-metal bearing when the suspension strut 2 is inserted into the bearing receptacle 7 is fixed to the body Parts locked. For this purpose, either on the angled shoulder 6.4 over its outer contour resiliently protruding securing elements are arranged, which can be pressed radially inward and axially behind or radially in the bearing receptacle 7 inserted rubber-metal bearing 6 in or running along the circumference of the shoulder 6.4 body -fixed Support surfaces or body-like slot-like or similar indentations or recesses are gripped or there are fixed radially inwardly protruding spring tongues or the like along the circumference of the angled shoulder body, which spring tongues or the like are provided by the angled shoulder 6.4 of the rubber-metal inserted into the bearing receptacle 7 Be axially behind the bearing.

In the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 1, 3 and the left part of FIG. 2, the securing spring elements arranged on the shoulder 6.4 are formed by a radially prestressed snap ring or spring ring 9 which is inserted into a receptacle 10 arranged in the edge region of the shoulder 6.4 3, which is either - as in FIG. 3 - similar to an annular groove or - as in FIG. 1 and in the left part of FIG. 2 - is formed by depressions distributed along the circumference. The explosive or spring ring 9 is preferably made of spring steel. However, it can also be made of plastic and, if necessary, have a spring steel insert.

The cooperating with the detonating or spring ring 9 body-fixed support surfaces or slit-shaped or the like. Indentations or recesses are arranged in a body-fixed cylindrical holding part which surrounds the shoulder 6.4 of the sheet metal outer pot 6.2 in a ring.

In the embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 3, the cylindrical support member is''' formed on the designed as a pot-shaped sheet-metal part bearing receptacle 7 71 and 71, respectively, which in turn is on the body 1 screwed or welded.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, the cylindrical holding part 71 has line impressions 73 distributed radially inward along its circumference, into which horizontally extending elongated holes or slots 74 are formed, in which the snap ring or spring ring 9 engages.

The cylindrical holding part can also be formed by an annular sheet metal strip 71 ' welded on the body side or by an angle ring 71'' . In the right part of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, a holding part formed by an angle ring 71 '' and in the left part of this embodiment, a holding part formed by a sheet metal strip 71 'is shown. Even with such a holding member can be distributed over the periphery radially inwardly directed Mantellinieneindrückungen 73 are provided in which for receiving the snap ring or spring ring 9 horizontally aligned elongated holes or slots are formed 74th

Figs. 2b and 2a show a section through the sheet metal strip formed as a holding part 71 'and a development of this holding part and let the radially inwardly directed Mantellinieneindrückungen 73 and the horizontally oriented slots 74 clearly visible.

In the right part of the embodiment according to FIG. 2, in which the cylindrical holding part is formed as an angle ring 71 '' welded on the body side, a variant is shown in which the latching device for holding the rubber-metal bearing 6 in the rebound device by along the circumference of the angle ring 71 '' Arranged spring tongues 76 is formed. which are punched out of the cylindrical holding part and flipped inside. The shoulder 6.4 of the sheet metal outer pot 6.2 engages directly behind the spring tongues 76 in this variant; Additional safety spring elements in the form of a snap ring or spring washer or the like are not required here.

It is advantageous if - as shown in FIGS . 1 and 2 - the cylindrical holding part 71 or 71 ' or 71''has an input area 72 which widens conically towards the suspension strut 2 , through which the insertion of the rubber-metal Bearing in the bearing receptacle 7 or the snap-in of the snap ring or spring ring 9 into the slots 74 is facilitated.

While the embodiments show according to FIGS. 1 and 2 solutions in which the locking of the rubber-metal bearing 6 in a position receptacle 7 without manual intervention automatically effected upon insertion of the strut in the bearing seat, because the explosive held on the shoulder 6.4 - or spring washer 9 is pushed radially inwards during insertion or the radially inwardly flared spring tongues 76 are radially pressed outwards by the shoulder 6.4 , a variant is shown in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3, in which the in a circumferential annular groove-like receptacle 10 of the Shoulder 6.4 mounted radially preloaded snap ring or spring washer 9 with a radially inward circumferential flange 75 in the cylindrical holding part 71 ''' cooperates and when the rubber-metal bearing 6 is inserted into the bearing receptacle 7 radially so far that it must be pulled together he can pass the inwardly projecting flange 75 . Accordingly, the snap ring or spring washer 9 must either be manually compressed radially during insertion or must already be contracted sufficiently radially by a mechanical tensioning device to be released after insertion.

Claims (15)

1. body-side mounting of a shock absorber or spring damper of a motor vehicle,

• a) with an effective between the body and shock absorber, on the damper piston rod - possibly with the interposition of a rolling or sliding bearing - pre-assembled rubber-metal bearing, which is connected with a sheet metal inner pot with the damper piston rod and with a sheet metal outer pot from inserted into a molded in the body or parts thereof and adapted to the dimensions of the outer sheet metal bearing receptacle and is positively received in the direction of compression and perpendicular thereto, the bearing receptacle and the outer sheet metal pot preferably have a conically tapering shape upwards, and
• b) with an upper stop and catch pot also connected to the damper piston rod, from which the rubber-metal bearing is partially radially overlapped at an axial distance,

characterized in that

• c) the outer diameter of the upper stop and catch pot ( 8.2 ) is dimensioned at least slightly smaller than the diameter of the area of the bearing holder ( 7 ) in contact with the smallest outer diameter of the rubber-metal bearing ( 6 ) that
• d) the upper stop and catch pot ( 8.2 ) on the damper piston rod ( 4.1 ) pre-assembled and inserted together with the rubber-metal bearing ( 6 ) from below into the bearing holder ( 7 ) and that
• e) the rubber-metal bearing ( 6 ) in the bearing receptacle ( 7 ) in the spring-out direction is held by a latching device (spring tongues 76 , snap ring or spring ring ( 9 ), which when inserting the rubber-metal bearing ( 6 ) in the bearing holder ( 7 ) can be overridden automatically or manually.

2. Storage according to claim 1, in which the lower end of the sheet metal outer pot of the rubber-metal bearing is angled radially outward in the manner of a shoulder or flange, characterized in that the outwardly angled shoulder ( 6.4 ) is inserted into the bearing receptacle ( 7 ) Rubber-metal bearing ( 6 ) engages axially behind spring tongues ( 76 ) or the like which extend radially inwards and on the body side. 3. Bearing according to claim 1, in which the lower end of the sheet metal outer pot of the rubber-metal bearing is angled radially outward in the manner of a shoulder or flange, characterized in that the outwardly angled shoulder ( 6.4 ) projects resiliently beyond its outer contour and radially toward Lockable spring-loaded spring elements (spring ring 9 ) which, when inserted into the bearing receptacle ( 7 ), have a rubber-metal bearing ( 6 ) - fixing this in the spring-out direction - axially behind or radially along at least part of the circumference of the shoulder ( 6.4 ) Grip body-fixed support surfaces (flange 75 ) or body-fixed slot-shaped or similar depressions or recesses (elongated holes 74 ). 4. Storage according to claim 3, characterized in that the securing spring elements are formed by a radially preloaded snap ring or spring washer ( 9 ). 5. Storage according to claim 4, characterized in that the detonating or spring washer ( 9 ) in an edge region of the shoulder ( 6.4 ) arranged circumferential ring groove-like or formed by distributions arranged over the circumference formed receptacle ( 10 ) is inserted. 6. Storage according to claim 5, characterized in that the snap or spring ring ( 9 ) is made of spring steel or plastic. 7. Storage according to claim 6, characterized in that the explosive or spring ring ( 9 ) consists of plastic and has a spring steel insert. 8. Storage according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the spring tongues ( 76 ), the support surfaces (flange 75 ) and / or the slot-shaped or the like. Indentations or recesses ( 74 ) in a shoulder ( 6.4 ) of the sheet metal outer pot ( 6.2 ) of the rubber-metal bearing ( 6 ) annularly enclosing body fixed cylindrical holding part ( 71, 71 ', 71'',71''' ) are arranged. 9. Storage according to claim 8, characterized in that the cylindrical holding part ( 71, 71 ' ) distributed over the circumference radially inwardly directed Mantelllinienein pressures ( 73 ), in the horizontally aligned slots or slots ( 74 ) are formed. 10. Storage according to claim 8, characterized in that the cylindrical holding part ( 73 ''' ) has a radially inwardly directed circumferential flange ( 75 ). 11. Storage according to claim 8, characterized in that in the cylindrical holding part ( 71 '' ) distributed over the circumference spring tongues ( 76 ) are punched out and issued inside. 12. Bearing arrangement according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the cylindrical holding part ( 71, 71 ', 71'' ) has an input region ( 72 ) which widens conically towards the spring strut or spring damper. 13. Bearing according to one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the cylindrical support member (71 ', 71'') is formed by a body side welded sheet metal strips (71') or angular ring (71 ''). 14. Storage according to one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the bearing holder ( 7 ) as a screwed or welded to the body ( 1 ) pot-shaped sheet metal part and the cylindrical holding part ( 71, 71 ''' ) is integrally formed thereon.